REAL ID adjustments have helped

Complaints about new federal identification requirements at the state Division of Motor Vehicles have decreased in recent months.

DMV Deputy Commissioner Steve Dale says they’ve made it easier for current license holders over the age of 50.

“Some of our licensees have had a license for 40, 50, 60 years so it’s been a while since they’ve had to dig out those documents,” Dale said. “We’ve had cases where those individuals have had to obtain those duplicate documents from other states.”

The DMV has reviewed the federal requirements and made some exceptions for the older license holders.

The new requirements began a year ago. They include one proof of Social Security number, one proof of identity and two proofs of state residency to renew a driver’s license.

Dale says after a rough start with the new requirements the adjustments have helped.

“The number of calls of individuals concerned about the requirements have dropped pretty dramatically,” he said. We’ve been able to get our renewal notices out 90 days in advance, trying to get people as much advance notice. We’ve also offered some limited temporary extensions for those people making a good faith effort to get the required documentation.”

Another new provision of the REAL ID Act was scheduled to kick-in in two weeks, Jan. 15, at the nation’s airports but Dale says that’s been pushed back for about nine months. Dale says driver’s licenses issued by only 13 states, including West Virginia, are currently in compliance with the commercial flight identification process. He says the delay will give other states more time to come into compliance.